The Rinspeed Oasis is a compact, two-seat autonomous city car that features solar panels and can rotate on the spot.
Designed to demonstrate a less conventional method of transport for the future, the Oasis certainly turned some heads at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show.
The Oasis's front wheels can turn on their own axis, enabling the car to navigate incredibly tight turns and rotate on the spot to squeeze into parking spaces.
The unique windscreen features virtual and augmented reality technology, where illustrations and data can be placed beside on objects outside the vehicle.
Inside, the nature-inspired cabin features a small garden plot in the front dash area. Standard car seats are replaced with armchair style seating, a sideboard, a TV and folding steering wheel that doubles as a mobile work station complete with a built in keyboard and coffee cup holders. This adaptable interior really emphasises the car's main role as an autonomous vehicle.
Rinspeed boss, Frank Rinderknecht, designed the Oasis with car sharing in mind. It features functionality that allows it to be a commuter car, interacting with a ride-hailing app, giving commuters the ability to jump in and share the vehicle. The vehicle can alert its owner's Facebook friends when it is free for use and can then be summoned via social media.
The Oasis also doubles as a cargo-carrying vehicle for urban parcel services. It is fitted with a temperature-controlled and code protected drawer in the rear that can be adjusted depending on what type of cargo is being transported. This adaptable interior really emphasises the car's main role as an autonomous vehicle. Rinspeed claim that the unique features found in the Oasis turn the car from a mode of transport into a personal assistant.
Whilst the design elements may seem a bit far-fetched in this day and age, the Rinspeed Oasis says a lot about where vehicles are heading in the future.
